The Great Tempeh Challenge!

Welcome to the great tempeh challenge! Due to the fact that I love eating with soy, I’ve been searching for a tempeh recipe for the longest time and this one is very good, and it also has so much potential.

If you have been reading my recipe blogs for a while, you know I’m famous for one thing and one thing only. Insanely EASY recipes that are super yummy. If there is chocolate in it, well that’s just a bonus! 😉

And I’m all for that. I mean, who doesn’t want easy?

However, this time, I was ready for a challenge. The Great Tempeh Challenge! And a challenge it was as Tempeh is not for everyone due to its strong nutty flavour.

To help with this search, I consulted with the very lovely, very talented, and very knowledgeable Marsha Fenwick (@marshafenwicknutrition), who is not a stranger to this platform.

My Guinea Pigs

To complete The Great Tempeh Challenge, tasters were required so I called upon a couple of buddies who are “open” to trying new things. Even though soy products have been around for decades and we know how good it is for you, not everyone is open to trying it. I hope with this recipe, a few more will.

The verdict?

“This smells so good!” and “This is very Tasty.” With some raised eyebrows (I assume for being slightly surprised) and smiles. All plates were cleaned.

This is where the topic of potential comes in.

No one took seconds. From this observation, this recipe was good, but it was not GREAT. Marsha just shared with me that her friend who is a chef suggested steaming the tempeh before stir-frying as tempeh can carry a bitter flavour.

Perhaps I should have done that.

How do you get the bitterness out of tempeh? According to Marsha, in a rimmed skillet or saucepan, pour in 1 inch of water and bring to a low boil over medium heat. Cover with a lid and steam tempeh for a total of 10-12 minutes, flipping once at the halfway point. Then rinse, pat dry, and cut into thin, bite-size pieces.

Perhaps YOU could try this recipe and let me know what you think. Maybe the recipe needs tweaking. A little more of this.. a little less of that. I know from too much experience, about the term F.A.I.L. Which stands for First Attempt In Learning. A term that promotes incredible growth.

Or, I may try this recipe again. Just like I did here.

Before You begin…

If I could give one piece of advice from someone who is not a maven in the kitchen (we all have our talents!), I suggest that you organize your ingredients before you cook. It just makes it so much easier.

By the way, all of this that you see organized below, took 25 minutes.

The Recipe

INGREDIENTS

• 8 OZ Tempeh
• 2-3 cups cauliflower florets
• 1 TBS each of Tamari, sesame oil, grapeseed oil, balsamic vinegar, Tamari
• 4-6 kale leaves, stemmed and chopped.
• 2 heads of bok choy
• 1 medium carrot, peeled and sliced
• 2 quarter slices of fresh ginger
• 2 garlic cloves peeled and cut into thin slices
• 1 celery stalk, thinly sliced.

THE SAUCE

• 1⁄2 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
• 3⁄4 cups water or fresh orange juice
• 1 TBS Tamari
  

DIRECTIONS:

1. Place tempeh cubes in a medium-sized bowl. Pour on the 1 tablespoon tamari, balsamic
   vinegar and 1 teaspoon of toasted sesame oil. Marinate while you make the sauce and
   continue with the recipe.
2. In a large wok, heat 1 teaspoon of the grapeseed oil or coconut oil. Add ginger and garlic
   and cook for 30 seconds. Add celery and carrot and toss to coat with oil. Cover and cook
   for 1 minute. Add cauliflower and toss to combine. Cover and cook for 2 minutes, and 1-2
   tablespoons water to help create steam. Remove cover to stir vegetables and to make
   sure they are not burning. Add a little bit of the sauce.
3. Remove the vegetables from the wok and keep warm.
4. In the wok, heat the remaining 2 teaspoons of grapeseed oil and add the tempeh and a bit
   of sauce. Cook for 5 minutes until tempeh is cooked through and golden brown.
5. Combine the vegetables back into the wok with the kale and bok choy, and cook together
   for a few more minutes until flavours combine and greens wilt.
   

Other Marinade Options

• Tamari, sesame oil, ginger, honey, and garlic.
• Lemon juice, dijon mustard, olive oil, and rosemary.
• Basil, olive oil, garlic, and pesto.
• Tahini, sesame oil, ginger, garlic, tamari, and parsley.
• Balsamic vinegar, olive oil, salt, and pepper.
• Olive oil, honey, fresh orange juice, and ginger.

Marsha completes this wonderful recipe with her wise words:

Tempeh’s fermentation process and its retention of the whole bean give it a higher concentration of protein, dietary fibre, and vitamins compared to tofu, as well as a firmer texture and stronger flavour. This recipe tastes delicious over brown rice, soba noodles, or quinoa.